Got self-doubt? You are not alone. The great existential thinker Irvin Yalom writes movingly of the ubiquitous of shame and self-doubt. Sometimes even the most successful can live lives of quiet desperation and secret shame. It’s thought by many that great accomplishments translate to happiness. But unfortunately sometimes even profound accomplishments and accolades can bounce off us like a suit of armor if we don’t have an authentic inner core of healthy, grounded self-esteem. Just as some stress can be good as it moves us out of complacency, too much stress can be debilitating; a little self-doubt can push us beyond our seeming limits but too much self-doubt can be crippling.

Shame and self-doubt can arise from many sources, including unhealthy societal messages, trauma, negative thought patterns, or even an existential malaise. Sometimes just taking good care of the basic human organism can facilitate self-confidence. Eating better and getting enough sleep can markedly improve our mood and thought processes. As powerful as exercise is biologically, I think it’s even better psychologically. Often we can discover our true selves through the arts.

Similarly, recent exciting research suggests that we may be able to increase our self-confidence by training our brains. Scientists have identified brain activity patterns that can predict the confidence level of an individual. Additional research has shown that we can hone our neural activity to internally enhance our self-confidence. You can read more here.